Yessirree bob, the Living Legend and the Little Brother have reunited once more to put out their 4th record in 5 years.

I’ve been told that this is actually cutting room fodder from a previous album, but regardless, I enjoy it. I still think that the product these 2 put out are both their best product respectively and let’s hope for more of the same with this new one.

I know he’s a St. Louis cat signed to Om Records(Strange Fruit, Zion I & Grouch, Colossus) and that’s about that. Well, he’s got a tune rounding the circuit now that he did with J*Davey and I think it’s plenty dope. I’m interested to hear more from this Lunatic.

My all-time favorite Hip-Hop group (De La Soul) have gotten back together with my all-time favorite animated pop group (The Gorillaz – sorry Jem) for the first time since the Grammy award- winningFeel Good Inc. to bring you this cut off the Gorillaz’ upcoming Plastic Beach. In typical Gorillaz fashion, this plays on De La’s lighter side and brings you a definite feel good jam for a summer day. It actually reminds me of that De La tune off the Dexter’s Laboratory OST (if anyone actually copped that). Anyway, get into it and vibe.

Strictly from a Hip-Hop perspective, 9th Wonder might have the most diverse clientele list in the game. With a catalogue that ranges from Murs to Jay-Z, Ludacris to Little Brother, De La to M.O.P., there’s no question 9th has accomplished a lot in his short time in the game.

Now, with a new team up with Mississippi General, David Banner, he continues his quest to produce for everyone in hip-hop.

I haven’t posted 2 back to back blogs in awhile but with the bombardment of what’s happened today and the fear that these’ll be taken down QUICK, I’m on it.

WAYNE & EM

Weezy F‘s been beggin King Marshall to tandem with him for a few years now and up until a couple months ago, I thought Forever was gonna be the only time we heard either of them working together on any legitimate level.

Fast forward to today, and all the rumors have now been confirmed. Em’s on Wayne’s upcoming ‘Rebirth’ and well….I’ll let you decide. Let’s just say, I could’ve already put up 3 other tracks from Rebirth but decided that I’d rather go listen to traffic instead. But this….click before the take down.

Easily one of the leaders of the new class of dope producers, Exile, the one responsible for the now cult classic, Below the Heavens that he did with fellow westcoaster, and also a leader in his own right, Blu, has been pumping out dope track after dope track for quite some time now. I was first put on his ish when my homie J$Money pointed me towards his Dirty Science LP that he dropped in ’06. Featuring guest spots from Slum Village, Blu, Ghostface, Aloe Blacc and more, his first solo effort was truly something to behold. Now, 3 years and 4 collaborative records later, his skills are sharper, his clout is heavier and his tunes are just as diverse as ever. Off his sophomore Radio from earlier this year, I give you a chill track for anyone who needs a little sun during these winter months.

In today’s edition of Pair Up I bring you a special ‘Crew + 1’ motif as we check out some already dope duos and crews who felt the need to take their ish one step further and enlist some extra firepower.

PASS THE MIC

First off what else would you name a song that featured Masta Ace, Edo. Gand the blastmaster KRS-One?

Although as of late, I’ve come to find KRS’s rhetoric to be abrasive and overtly preachy (not to mention homie contradicts himself every 3 interviews), I still got love for the man. And well, when you get 3 vets of this caliber in a studio together, you can’t help but smile and remember why it is you got into hip-hop in the first place (although, if you got into hip-hop cause of a Diddy video from back in the day, this blog might come as a shock to you).

I love Camp Lo. No one styles like them. No one flows like them. And no one knows what the eff they’re saying. Now match that with a man whose crew is also known for having some of NY’s heaviest bars and you get some good ol’ lyrical rap. In fact, today’s post shoulda been named ‘Good Ol’ Lyrical Rap’.

Anyway, here we go with a brand new video from the Lo’s most recent release featuring the Ghost, Styles P.

PROPER AIM

When you get one of the most influential hip-hop groups of all time to link with one of the most influential producers of all time, the assumption is you get greatness. Right? Great+Great=Greatness. Right? But at the end of the day, people also thought the same when Wayne Gretzky joined Brett Hull and the St. Louis Blues but we all know how that turned out (or maybe you don’t, I’m Canadian, deal with it). Point being, it doesn’t always work out that way.

Thankfully, thus far, everything I’ve heard from the Souls of Mischief + Prince Paul union has been ill. I gave you the MPfree last week and now I give you the video.

**BONUS**

This has nothing to do with anything aside from the fact it’s crazy ill.

We continue the Pair Up legacy today with heavy hitters from East to South, West to Midwest.

LEADERS OF THE NEW OLD SCHOOL

Snoop Dogg and Busta Rhymes have been at it for a loooong time.

And while still relevant to the culture, Doggystyle and the Coming would definitely be considered Old School to today’s youth. That being said, it really is a testament to the grind and pedigree of these two that they’ve been able to stay atop the food chain without completely losing that character we’ve all come to know and love.

Coming together once again for a remix of Snoop’s new badass banger, I Wanna Rock, Busta comes and shows some East Coast love to the West Coast Don.

Not a collab I would’ve ever thought of, but a dope one nonetheless. Royce is obviously heavy with his pen game and Cee-Lo, well, I’d go so far as to say he’s one of hip-hop’s most under appreciated lyricists and spitters ever. Not to mention versatile. I do love his singing voice plenty, but much like Andre 3000, I think their singing stuff is dope, but I really want them to get back to some good ol’ spitting, if only for just one album.

Luckily for us, Goodie Mob seems to be reunited and working together again, meanwhile we’re still waiting on that Slaughterhouse/Aftermath deal to be confirmed.

When I first did the original ‘Pair Up’ blog, I never meant to continue it as any sort of ongoing series within the HHHT realm. However, after seeing the rash of recent pair-ups and duets that definitely deserve their honorable mentions, I say, let’s roll with this and see if there’s another Black Star or a Ghost & Rae or a Omarion & Bow Wow in the making.

Wait a minute…..scratch that last one….

D.I.T.C.

Who likes acronyyyyms? D.I.T.C.? That’s always been a favorite of mine. How bout we get a little deeper into it and break out A.G. and O.C.

Yessir. You heard me right. East Coast legends Omar Credle and Andre the Giant, better known as O.C. & A.G. have gone ahead and finally put this classic D.I.T.C. what if? scenario to bed and are slated to release THE OASIS November 24th on Nature Sounds (home of Masta Killa, the Ghost & DOOM project, and oodles more).

If this tune is any indication of how the album’ll turn out, I’m there. I swear to you, neither of them have even come close to losing a step and believe me when I say A.G. keeps getting better and better and better…(See his guest appearance on Dabrye‘s Two/Three)

As I reported a couple months ago, Stones Throw frontliners Madlib & Guilty Simpson will be teaming up to release the highly anticipated O.J. Simpson record either last quarter ’09 or first quarter ’10. Madlib, who has cemented the fact that he has one of the best batting averages for beats ever, matched with Guilty, who’s punchline onslaught can only be compared to an E. Honda attack, will undoubtedly result in something so raw it would be O.D.B. approved. Don’t believe me? Check the freebee. GOOD GAWD I love these guys.

Don’t really need to write all that much about this. Beans is goin at Jay and 50‘s making sure he’s right in the middle of it…as usual.

If Jay eventually decides to respond though, this’ll get hella entertaining. Beans is not only a beast, but this could get extremely personal extremely quick. Do I smell a Pay-Per-View? Y’know 50 probably already has it in the works.

Throughout the history of music there’ve been an abundance of amazing duos. From Eric B. & Rakim to Simon & Garfunkel to Rick James & Eddie Murphy (CLAAASSIC!) it seems that the nature of pairing 2 equally skilled artists together can have an incredibly positive and progressive effect on the quality of the end product. Whether it be because of some intangible chemistry or simply because both artists are doing their best not to be outshone by the other, at very least, duos always give us something to talk about. Well, to continue and contribute to this pattern, here’s a post about a few more new and old classic pairings.

DEF & DOOM

What do you get when you take 2 of Hip-Hop’s most beloved and influential lyricists, both of whom were at one time themselves part of other classic pairings (Black Star & KMD respectively) and you put’em together?

Well…I don’t actually know. But I assume it’d be madness.

Just recently leaked was this youtube footage of Mos Def and what sounds like DOOM behind the camera spitting some potentially new co-written material. As of now, these 2 have never officially released any songs together, but after seeing this, it might be okay to start getting your hopes up.

And if you didn’t see the initial video, this is Mos speaking on the dopeness of DOOM and touching on the genius of De La.

Ghostface has been part of his share of classic pairings. Whether it be himself and the aforementioned DOOM, or with long time Clan member, Raekwon (who he’ll be releasing an album with alongside the rejuvenated Method Man — if you didn’t cop Blackout!2, you need to.), Ghost rarely, if ever, falters on a verse and any rap fan who breathes oxygen knows this.

Well although this isn’t actually a pairing, here’s a clip of Ghost talking about the late-O.D.B. and just what he meant when he said ‘Oooh Baby I like it RAAAW!’